Chicago a Top City for Car Shares

February 21, 2013

Chicago gas prices just hit a historic high, but the good news is that the city is one of the top ten places in the U.S. for car shares, according to WalkScore, a website which calculates the ‘walkability’ of cities.

Chicago has the third highest amount of car shares in the U.S., second to only New York City and San Francisco. The top three neighborhoods for Chicago car shares are the Loop, Lakeview and Near North.

Car sharing is when a person rents a car for a short period of time, usually by the hour. If you live in the city and get to work via public transit, but decide that you’d like to venture into the suburbs for a shopping trip, then a car share would certainly come in handy. Car sharing can also be beneficial for people who own small vehicles, but may need a van or SUV for a few hours.

Renting a car by the hour is especially popular among millenials, who make up a large segment of the urban population. According to Edmunds.com, the amount of new cars purchased by people aged 18-34 has dropped 30 percent in the past five years, as young professionals prefer to ride their bikes or take public transit to work. If you’re a city dweller and have yet to take advantage of a car share, now may the perfect time, as the average gas price is currently above $4.00 a gallon.